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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25923037">The End of a Life</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Artsy_Otter/pseuds/The_Artsy_Otter'>The_Artsy_Otter</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Original Work</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Depression, Drug Abuse, Family Death, M/M, Original Character(s), Original Character-centric, Original Story - Freeform, Rehab, new life</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 04:02:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,324</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25923037</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Artsy_Otter/pseuds/The_Artsy_Otter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Lucas, a man who has felt he hit rock bottom, is about to plummet lower, and only will the end of two lives allow him to climb back up.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The End of a Life</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hitting rock bottom. You always know when you do, don’t you? But really the only reaction you can have is ‘ah shit, well, guess I can only go up from here, right?’ You always think you can’t go any lower. But surprise. You always can.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>	I thought I had hit rock bottom. Right there on the cold hardwood floor of my bedroom. Felt like the bottom of the well anyway. But was I wrong. Little did I know I was about to have the floor ripped out from beneath me to plummet further.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>	I almost didn’t register the ringing of my phone, even though it sat right next to me. Next to the very thing that aided me in reaching the bottom. Crushed up pills of some kind. I had already forgotten what they were called, but it brought the high I wanted, so in the end, I suppose it didn’t particularly matter.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>	I fumbled for my phone with shaky hands. Squinting against the glare of the phone screen in what had once been a dark room, my eyes burned as they struggled to adjust to read the caller ID. “Gran?”, I grumbled. I hadn’t heard from her in a couple weeks. I figured she had finally given up in her way of trying to help. I shrugged, but answered with a lazy hello.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>	“Lucas.” Ah, her sweet voice, a bit scratchy with age, but still comforting. But there was something concerning to it, a weakness. I had kind of missed it. I had been avoiding her, and I’m sure it was obvious. But I didn’t want her to see how much of a wreck I had become. I love her but… love didn’t take away my cravings. Really wish it did though. “What’s up, Gran?”, I said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>	“I didn’t want to worry you… I know you have a lot of your own problems to work through and you’ve been having a hard time.”, she said, “But it’s my heart. It’s been acting up again, you know how it is.” She paused, letting out a sigh, “I just… If you have time, I would really like it if you came to see me, just once.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>	I was stunned into silence for a good moment. Sure, I had known Gran hadn’t the healthiest heart, but it never had occurred to me that it would ever become much of a problem. “Yeah, sure Gran. I’ll come see you soon.” “Thank you, Lucas. I’ve really missed you.”, she replied. I could practically hear her smile through the phone. Despite all the bad things that had happened in the last fifteen years, she was always so optimistic. It’s one of the things I admire about her the most.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>	With the ‘I love you’s and goodbyes said, I hung up and set the phone aside. I sat, staring at the floor. I’m not even sure how much time passed. It felt like a couple minutes but it was probably closer to an hour.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>	I got up, attempted to clean myself up at least a bit so I could at least look somewhat presentable before heading out. I checked my wallet and sighed. Just enough for the ride to the hospital. I had wanted to get her flowers. Ah well, I can bring her some next time.</p>
<p>The bus ride was boring, but that was as expected. I got off at my stop and headed into the hospital. There was no place I hated more than the hospital. Emotions here are just too extreme. In one room someone could be cheering for the birth of their new baby and in another, someone bawling over the loss of their brother. A place where memories that bring you the most joy can be formed, and memories that bring you the most agony. A polarizing place, really.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>	Finally, I reached Gran’s room. I gave a little knock on the door before moving inside. I was shocked. So many machines… She looked much weaker than I had expected. “Gran..?”, I said softly, moving to her bedside.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>	Her soft blue eyes, ones that had always held so much love and affection, turned to me. “Lucas.”, she murmured, a loving smile attempting to turn the corner of her lips upward. “It’s so nice to see you again after so long.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>	I pulled up the chair and sat, gently placing my hand on hers. “Is everything okay, Gran?”, I asked. I was hesitant and kind of scared of the answer because I knew nothing was okay.</p>
<p>Her kind smile fell and her eyes drifted away, seeming to become dazed. My heart dropped into my gut. When she spoke, her words were soft and her voice distant, as if she weren’t talking of herself. “The doctors aren’t giving me much longer.”, she said, “I guess my raggedy old heart is really going to be done for good.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>	I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. She had been fine the last time I saw her! “Oh, don’t cry, Lucas.”, she murmured gently, gripping  my hand and giving a firm squeeze. I hadn’t even realized the tears welling up and running down my face.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>	Guilt rushed through me. I had done so many terrible things to her these past few years, yet she had always remained so loving and supportive, wanting nothing but the best for me. “G-Gran, I…” I couldn’t find the words. How could I apologize for being such a shit grandson?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>	“I know, Lucas.”, she said softly, “I know.” I gripped her hand a bit tighter in both of my own. “B-but…”, I said, struggling to find the words at first. “How… How can I make it up to you?”, I asked, “What would make you the happiest?” If she didn’t have long left, I wanted to do whatever I could to make her the happiest I could.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>	Her answer took me by surprise. “Get help.”, she said. Her soft blue eyes felt like they were staring into my soul. I blinked, a bit dumbfounded. “Wh-what..?”, I said in confusion. “Get help.”, she repeated, adding, “Get yourself into a rehab program, turn your life around. Be healthy. Be happy. Nothing could ever make me happier.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>	I didn’t know how to respond. Her response was shocking yet it made me want to cry. I had stolen valuables, sold them. I gave her nothing yet she wanted nothing but the best for me.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>	But I did. I found a program to enroll in. It was an in-house program, but I figured it would help curb my ability to get the drugs I was going to start craving. The first few days were utter hell. I had never felt so physically miserable or mentally drained.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>	A week into the program, I received the news I had never wanted to hear. Gran had passed. At least she went peacefully in her sleep, but I was absolutely devastated. I crumpled there in the hall, against the wall, and cried. I had no one left. Gran, she had been someone I could turn to no matter what. Now there was no one. I was alone.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>	I felt a touch to my shoulder. Slowly, I looked up. A scrawny guy with greasy dark hair was knelt in front of me. “What’s wrong?”, he asked. I couldn’t find the words to answer, reaching up to rub furiously at my face to wipe away the tears, almost as if I could rub away the sadness if I tried hard enough.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>	It seemed he didn’t need the answer. He just sat next to me and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “You don’t have to say.”, he said softly, “But whatever it is, you can get through it.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>	I don’t know how long we just sat there. And little did I know just how important this scrawny guy would become to me. At least I wouldn’t be alone, even if it was just for a little while.</p>
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